Page 3 of Vinny

My interest piqued, I waited to hear more about it.

“Got a request for a security detail to escort someone from Los Angeles to Richmond.” My face must have shown interest…and concern. Gabe had gotten tangled up with a diva actress on an assignment before meeting his fiancé, Jennifer, and it had turned out to be a cocked-up situation.

“Nope, not an actress. A musician,” Tony clarified.

“Just an escort detail?” I asked, willing to take any mission assigned, but curiosity getting the better of me.

“Yes, they’ll have a concert in LA where you will meet them. You’ll escort them on their flight to Richmond.”

“Concert?” I was definitely interested at the idea of spending a couple of days with a female musician, preferably a beautiful rock star. “Who is it?”

Tony sat quietly for a moment, staring at the file in front of him. Rubbing his chin in thought, he finally looked up at me and said succinctly, “Not saying.”

“Not…saying? Sir?”

Tony looked deeply at me before continuing. “Vincent, you’re one of my best. Ever since the first time I laid eyes on you and your twin, I couldn’t have asked for better. One thing about you was that when you were on a mission, you gave me one-hundred percent. Off mission, if you thought with your dick it didn’t matter. You still work just as hard for me as when we were in the Special Forces, but I need your head on this mission and not thinking with your dick.”

I started to protest, but Tony put up his hand. “I want you on this mission, regardless of who it is.”

Understanding what was at stake, I agreed. Male, female, old, young…it did not matter to the mission. Standing, I nodded to the leader I trusted with my life. “When do I leave?”

“I’ll have the details by the end of the week and you need to be ready to fly to California next week.”

Looking at his watch as they landed in Chicago, he knew he missed the connecting flight. Hurrying to theticket counter, he waited impatiently as they managed to get him on the next flight to LA. Nodding his thanks, he made his way to the gate.

There was no need to pull out the assignment instructions again. He had them memorized. He was originally going to check into the hotel and have time to change before taking a taxi to the concert hall. Given backstage access, he would be there for the concert. He would meet the manager, the agent, and then after the concert…the artist. Escort them back to the hotel, where they would be staying, and then to the airport the next day for their flight back.

Tony had been specifically obtuse about the identification of the musician. The realization that his boss and friend was unsure of his professionalism with a hot rocker had Vinny grimacing. Vinny decided against checking concerts in the LA area, wanting to maintain complete control over the mission regardless of who he was escorting. It did not matter to him if she was a big name or not—he was taking this mission as seriously as all his other missions. He knew there was no danger involved or Tony would have briefed him completely. This was purely an official escort mission.What’s the worst that can happen? I have to scare a few paparazzi?

Hearing his flight being called, he made his way on board for the last leg of the trip. Settling down, he checked his watch one more time.I’ll have just enough time to get to the hotel and change before heading to the concert hall.

An hour later, he was seething as the plane was just taking off. Mechanical difficulties, the pilot had said.Re-running his schedule through his mind, he knew he would have to take his luggage with him and catch a taxi directly to where he was meeting the musician. Glancing down at his attire, he was traveling for comfort. His jeans, while clean, were slightly worn. His black t-shirt stretched tightly across his chest, only partially hiding the Malloy tattoo on his arm. His hair was trimmed neatly, but still long enough that it was standing on end from all of the times he had run his hand through it in frustration.

Sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he settled back.It’ll be fine for a musician. In fact, I’ll probably fit right in with the crew.

Several hours later, he jogged to the line of taxis outside of the LA airport. Rattling off the name of the concert hall, he hopped into the back. The concert had already started, but that would be all right. He was there on a job, not to listen to some chick sing.That was just going to be a bonus!

The taxi driver pulled up to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, then looked at Vinny in the rear-view mirror. “You say you needed to go to the backstage door?”

Vinny replied in the affirmative, but leaned over looking at the large hall with the signLos Angeles Philharmonic. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

The driver nodded, saying, “Oh yeah, man. LA’s finest orchestra.”

Vinny chuckled at Tony letting him think he was escorting some young, female rocker.You got me, Captain,he thought. Knowing that he would be working with an older lady, he knew he would have to charm hera bit to get past his outer appearance.No worries. I got this.

Paying the taxi driver, he pulled his bag out of the back and jogged up to the door, passing security once he showed his identification. The hall’s security guard showed him where he could stow his bag and then pointed him in the direction of the backstage area. Moving through the people milling around, he heard the sounds of the orchestra growing louder as he approached. The guard had radioed ahead and he saw a man coming toward him, dressed in a tuxedo. Looking at his own casual attire...Shit.

He walked over to shake the man’s hand.

“Mr. Malloy?”

“Yes, sir. Vinny,” he replied.

The man nodded, then added, “Good to have you on board. I’m her agent, Gordon Fisher. If you’ll follow me, you’ll be able to watch the last part of the concert from the wings and then we’ll head back to Ms. O’Brian’s room afterward.”

Vinny followed the young man and as they moved into the wings, he could see the large orchestra on the stage. The women all in long, black dresses and the men in tuxedos. Glancing out toward the audience, he saw that the house was full.

The orchestra was playing and Vinny shifted uncomfortably in his stance. It had been a long time since he had listened to anything without a strong heavy beat and the harmonious sounds reminded him of times better left forgotten. The orchestra built to a climax and then fell silent as the soloist continued toplay. The harp. The melodious chords filtered through the concert hall and resonated deep within Vinny’s chest. His eyes sought out the woman in the center of the stage with the harp gently resting on her shoulder. His breath caught in his throat as his gaze took her in.

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